The Will to Survive
by ClasslessToast
Summary: After trying to find survivors, a Private's team is killed by the disease that has seemed to infect the entire world. Stumbling upon a group of teens, an adult, a small girl, and a dog, he must help them get to a safe area before it is too late.
1. Chapter 1

'How did this happen? Why can't I move? Why don't I just get off the ground and run with the others? But, why do I feel... comfortable here? The reason I lay here as they approach is because I lost my will to survive, but why did I loose it you may ask? Well, it all started only a few days ago...'

* * *

"We stop at 05:00; in less than 5 minutes. So get ready, ladies!"

"Yes, sir!"

The APC was crowded with my fellow soldiers that I had been training with for the past several weeks. To think that we had finished boot camp only hours before it began to spread. We hit a few bumps until the truck halted to a dead stop. Before the door opened, my friend beside me, Private Fouler, wished me good luck over the noise of the engine and the troops talking. "Same to you pal. See you on the other side."

"You're so damn optimistic, Grey. That's what got us through boot ca-"

"Go, go, go!" Sargent yelled as he threw the door open and waved his hand for us to exit.

Hurrying outside we broke off into three groups. Fouler was a part of the civilian guard, I was with the 'recon' group. The other group was Sarge's personal defense force. "Alright ladies," he bellowed, "Civ Guard, move to the bridge to the East. Recon, I need you all to search this area for an survivors. Everyone else, load back in. Lets go, scatter!" Shutting the door with the last group inside the APC drove off leaving the last of us behind. After a moment, the two groups began to drift apart as my team started searching through the streets. With my M4 ready, we slowly and carefully walked past the burning cars and dead bodies laying on the ground. My team was composed of 3 people, including myself. There was me; 18 year old male: Private Grey. Private John "Deer"; 20 year old male. And there was the only female in the platoon: Private Gale "Foxy", 18 years old. I had spent the last few weeks with these people, though the only real friend I made was Fouler. He was the only soldier in our platoon who was from the same state as me; Alabama. Though many of the other troops insulted him for being black, I stood up for him. After all, my best friend back home is, or now that I think about it, was...

"Get down." Gale told us as a male-sized figure slowly walked out into the middle of the road, leaning back and forth as if he were drunk. "Sir? Sir?" Gale called to the man. Tuning his head towards us we saw the horrifying truth. His face was bloody with a knife hanging from his eye ball. He groaned loudly as his pale body slowly began to stumble towards us. Stepping back, John stood in awe that he was still moving. "Wha, what in the hell is that thing? That man is moving, but he's dead!" With his scream, more appeared from behind buildings and even some rose off the street and began to inch closer to us. "Fire! Kill them!" I yelled to my teammates. Aiming the gun at one, I shot 6 rounds into her chest before she finally fell to the ground. "What the hell...? 6 rounds in the chest didn't kill her?"

"Aim for the head!" Gale ordered me. Aiming at one's head and pulling the trigger, their head exploded as my bullet collided with it's head. After backing up, back to back with Gale, a blood curtailing cry came from the crowd of those monsters. Turning to see what was going on, we watched in horror as they began to maul John and tear the flesh off his body. After a moment, a horrifying moan came from his throat as his eyes rolled back into his head and began to move slowly to us. Now surrounded, we looked for a way to escape. "Look, we can go through there!" I pointed to an ally way. She nodded as we both jetted off into it, those things behind us. Ahead was a right turn. Making the turn we were stopped by a brick fence that stood taller than both of us. She knelt down and cupped her hands together to help me over. When I was on top of the fence, I reached down my hand to grab hers, but she pushed it away. "What are you doing? Grab my hand!"

"You were always Sarge's favorite. Can't let the favorite die here like this. Go and finish the mission, I'll take care of them here."

"No, I am not leaving without you; no man left behind!"

She smiled too me for the very last time: "Too bad I'm a woman." Walking back to the left with gun in hand she disappeared with the noise of gunshots echoing through the ally way. Hoping down onto the concrete I hurried off into the streets carelessly as I found myself on an abandoned bridge that rose only feet above the ground. As I walked along the side I took notice of a Humvee that sat motionless a few yards away. "We weren't informed about any militaristic actions in this area..." pulling out my binoculars and scanning the area, I took notice of a group of people.

"2 males, 3 females, 1 young girl, and a dog. Interesting..." They were huddled together outside the vehicle, looking at the engine. "I wonder if it's shot."

Attaching a grappling hook to the edge of the bridge, I slowly lowered down to ground level and walked cautiously towards their location with my gun in hand.

"Do y'all need help?" I asked, their attentions turning towards me. A woman, older than the others, came running across the street to me, her chest bouncing. Blushing as she grabbed my arm, she pulled me over to the group; "Yes, Mr. Hunk, we have a broken engine. 'This is going to be fun...' I thought to myself as she finally stopped dragging me, but she still held my arm. A rather heavier boy studied me in awe; "An American soldier! My god, you are one of those Special Forces guys, aren't you?"

"I suppose you could say that. Now can anyone tell me what is going on here?" I remember their confused faces as they all seemed to shrug.

"We think it is some sort of disease." The other male finally answered. "Some disease..." I mumbled as I looked to the city behind me, smoke rising from different points in the sky. 'I just hope this will be over soon...'


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello Readers:**

**Taking all reviews into consideration, I want to make the best experience for you reading this. Since this chapter was already 'pre-written', I decided to post it anyways, though I am hoping for more reviews. Starting next chapter, I will try to account for all reviews.**

**-ClasslessToast**

* * *

"Well, it isn't shot, I can tell you that much, but I didn't specialize in engineering. Fouler did, but I don't know if he is still alive. But its good I found a few survivors. So, who all are y'all?"

"Oh, sorry for being rude. My name is Takashi. That's Rei, Seiko, Saya, Kohta, nurse Shizuka, Alica, and that little pup is Zeke." Takashi introduced them to me as he pointed to the corresponding person. Pushing past them and getting into his face, Takagi crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right side, pushing out her chest. "So what about you, Mr. Soldier, got a name?"

"Aren't you a little demanding? The name's Edgar Grey, but call me Private or Private Grey. I'm a part of the Special Forces of the United States military."

"We guessed that. Now why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be protecting _your own_ people?"

"You see, Saya, if I learned anything from boot camp, it was that everyone on Earth is my people, and I will stop at nothing to protect them. This includes you as well."

"So brave and manly!" Shizuka came running towards, hugging him with her chest against his. Trying to escape her grasp, he looked over to Kohta; "Is she always like this?" He and Takashi began to laugh as I sighed. She eventually let go, but stood close to me. Shaking my head I propped the hood of the Humvee open and opened the driver's door. Handing me the keys, Shizuka stood in awe as I cranked the engine. An unusual noise came from it. Stepping back out I watched as all the gears and belts seemed to run normally. "Maybe one of the pistons are stuck?" I mumbled to myself as I watched the engine bump around a little. "I could always call for back up, but the signal may not reach Sarge. I'll try though." Stepping off to the side I pulled my radio out and tried to secure a stable connection. I could hear, over the static, the girls asking each other if they trusted me enough to let me help them.

"I mean, he probably isn't even a soldier. Any nerd can go to a military surplus and steal some clothes." I heard Takagi murmur to the others.

"He may be going through a lot right now, Takagi. He has a family too, you know?" Saeko responded.

"He doesn't seem like such a bad guy, Takagi. He could help us." Kohta tried to convince her. But she didn't seem to believe in me.

"Then why," she sighed, "then why isn't he protecting the ones he loves; his family-"

"My father died in Iraq when they first started invading. My mother died of cancer when I was 4. After being in the adoption home for several years because my grandparents wouldn't take me, I was cared for by a woman named Tamika Fouler. She was the only black woman in my town, surprisingly. As a child, the only friend I had was her. She had lost her husband in Iraq as well, so I knew how she felt to loose someone that way. Eventually, she adopted me because no one else would. After high school ended for me, I enlisted to not only avenge my father's and Tamika's husband's death, I wanted to protect the world from anything that would hurt anyone. That is why I am here, risking my life, leaving Tamika behind, leaving everyone I had ever known, to protect you." I said softly as the static from the radio hushed slightly.

They all stood in shock that I had spoken about my reason of being there. They all seemed to take a step backwards as I turned to face them. "Did you really think I wanted to leave them? My fiends and family? Tamika was pregnant with her second child when I enlisted. You dare to think I would just leave because I was tired of that life? I've been through hell trying to care for that family; my family. I hate when you kinds of people think that I'm only here to escape and get money. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to save your asses from those things that killed my team." I sighed, turning back around to face the sun. The static from the radio became a somewhat clear voice, reporting locations of huge clusters of those things.

"I'm sorry." Takagi murmured as I tried to connect to Sarge's radio.

I stopped, looking down at the radio in my hand. "I'm sorry too." I sighed as I connected. "Sarge, you there?" I asked as the radio buzzed loudly.

"Private Grey, is this you?" Sarge's voice came from the radio.

"Yes, sir. Sarge, I've got 7 people and 1 dog here with me. Can you come and pick them up? Recon was wiped out, Sarge, except me."

"Damn it. Listen Private, we can't come and get anyone. The pilot and gunner of APC were infected by this disease. They have almost infected everyone everyone defending my ass."

"Listen Sarge, I'm going to try and find somewhere for them to take shelter. Call in when you are on your way to come get us."

"Got it. God's speed, Private."

Turning the radio off and putting it back in my pack, I turned to the group of people. I sighed as I walk past the girls and sat in the driver's seat, motioning for them to get in. With the hood shut and engine on, they entered quietly. When everyone was seated, I pressed on the gas pedal and began to drive down the empty road. All was silent as they seemed to fear my presence.

"So, that Fouler guy you were talking about, hes your..." Shizuka began, but stopped as she noticed my frown grew wider.

"My brother, family and in arms." I sighed.

I sighed, watching the lines pass under the Humvee. "You know, it's kind of funny. You remind me of my ex back in the states, Saya."

"Oh?"

"She was kind of a smart ass too."

We all laughed a little, even she chuckled. But, as the saying goes with good things, it was soon about to come to an end...


End file.
